Interdisciplinary Study of Religions Program, Politics Program, Middle Eastern Studies Program, and Center for Civic Engagement Present
Divine and Popular Sovereignty in Islamic Political Thought after the Arab Spring
Andrew March
Associate Professor of Political Science, Yale University
Since the 2011 revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, political life in those countries has been dominated by so-called "moderate Islamist" parties. These parties proclaim the acceptance of constitutional democracy and political power-sharing, while at the same time endorsing shari'a law as the ultimate source of legitimate power in a Muslim country. This talk approaches the paradox of Islamic democracy through the lens of the concept of sovereignty in contemporary Islamic political theology. What does it mean to hold that both God and the people can be said to be "sovereign" and what unresolved paradoxes remain at the level of theory?
For more information, call 845-758-7382, or e-mail [email protected].
Location: Olin 102